Ribbon mechanism for type-writing machines.



L. C. MYERS. RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION IILBD JUNE 13, 1912.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914 W/TNESSES. 41. M 770% M A TTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

LEWIS C. MYERS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 ROYAL TYPEWRITER OOMPANY, INCL, OF NEW. YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3,1914.

Application filed June 13, E912. Serial No. 708,383.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEWIS C. MYERS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ribbon Mechanism for Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a ribbon vibrator simultaneously adjusts the" stop devices. The organization, except as hereinafter a pears, is the same as that disclosed-ind].-

patent to Edward B. Hess, No. 984,671, of February 21, 1911. The ribbon actuatingmeansare the same and this invention only differs from that patent in re- I spectto the visible manually operated devices which the operator manipulates to determine the adjustments, and the means for definitely positioning the parts and holding them in adjusted position.

The accompanying drawing shows so much of a Royal Standard typewriting inachine, the general construction of which is well understood, as is thought to benecessa to illustrate this invention.

igure 1 is a right hand elevation of the essential .parts detached from the frame, showing in dotted lines the parts in position for upper case printing; Fig. 2, a detailed elevation of some of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig; 3, a bottom plan view of the escapement frame and associated parts that are relevant to this invention; and Fig. 4, a detached plan view showing the :hand manip ulated parts by which the operator effects ad-v justments, and Fig. 5 a detailed view showing the contour of the stop device.

is theforwardly extending arm' and 2.-the

downwardly extending arm, is pivoted at 3 to the ribbon vibrator 5} and a coiled reac-f tion spring is to bev applied to a projection thereof, 3, extending rearwardly beyond the plvot 3. A horizontally disposed lever 6 is pivoted intermediate its ends at 7 in the end of the bell crank arm 2. The rear end of the lever 6 is enlarged or widened verticallyland its edge is formed with surfaces 8, 9 in di'ffe'rent planes either one of which surfaces, according to the adjustment of. the lower 6, coiiperate with means actuated when printmg operations occur to urge the lever, 6 forward and so determine the throw of the ribbon operating bell crank to 'efiectprdnting :from eitheran upper or ,lower zoneof a rib bon. Thus the drawing shows a;'-swing'ing frame 6 carrying the universal'bar,7* that acts upon the surfaces 8, 9. Thisis all'as shown its the Hess patent above mentioned.

A link 10 connects the forward end of lever 6 with a rotatable crank stop" block 11 fast on a shaft 12 that extends from the-fright hand side of the machine and has hearings in-.

the escapement frame 5. The rotatable crank stop block 11 is formed with a-hub, 13

If -lever 6 'is setto impart the.

will be positively limitedby stofp surface'll z whereas if asin Fig. -1, the sur ce,9 of lever 6 is in operative position a less upward movement will be imparted to the bell crank arml in which case it will be, as shown, arrested by step surface 11.- Adjustments of the stop surfaces and of lever 6 are made as follows: On the shaft 12, to the right of the escapement frame, is secured a toothed wheel .14 having three recesses formed by two stops 15-16 and two teeth 17, 18.- The recesses are V shaped but are relatively wide; that is to say, the walls forming the' recesses have considerable pitch. On the right hand side of the escapement frame is frame at 20. In its lower end is a short stud shaft carryi a roller 21 that cooperates with the whee 14 and into engagement with which it is drawn by a coiled spring 22 one end of which is attached to arm 19 and the other to a projection 23 on the side .of. the

. j a downwardly inclined arm 19 pivoted to the The ribbon vibrator bell crank of which 1' shown by .6 and stop escapement frame. On the shaft 12 toward the right hand side of the machine is secured an upright arm 24 to which is con nected a forwardly extending operating link 25.

The operation will be plain. The roller 21 pressed by the positively acting strong spring 22 into recesses of wheel 14 serves to determine exactly the adjustment of lever surfaces 11, 11 Thus, as seen in Fig. 1. the adjustment is for printing from the upper zone of the ribbon and the roller 21 seats in the center angular recess of the wheel 14 holding all the parts firmly in adjusted position. If link 25 is thrust rearwardly, wheel 14 will revolve and roller 21 will be transferred to the bottom of the next recess in which position surface 8 of the lever 6 will be maintained in operative osition the forward end of the lever havmg been lifted by link 10. The stop 15 of wheel 14 prevents overthrow in that direction. If, however, link .25 be drawn forward, roller 21 will be transferred to the other siderecess in which position the end surfaces 8, 9, of lever 6 will be lifted clear of the device that operates thereon so that there will be no movement of the ribbon vibrator which will then be held in its lowest position, when stencil work may be done. The stop 16,operates to prevent overthrow in this latter adjustment.

Experience has demonstrated that a wheel such as 14 cooperating with a strong substantial arm and roller such as 19 and 21 controlled by a coiled spring of appropriate strength and tension afi'ords very positive results and is never liable to become disarranged, or any of its parts worn or broken, or become so worn as to afl'ect the accuracy of all its adjustments.

The means by which the operator may actuate the draw and thrust rod 25 is as follows: At the right hand side of the machine is a vertical shaft 26 having a lower bearing 27 in a bracket 28 extending from the side of the main frame of the machine. On this shaft is secured a laterally projecting radial arm 29 of which 30 is the hub secured to the shaft by set screw. The upper end of the shaft passes through the dust guard or right hand cover plate of the machine and has secured to its upper end a crank arm 32 having a vertical manipulating handle or knob 33. On the forward edge of this crank arm is a projecting pointer 34 and inscribed upon the face of the dust guard (or side cover plate of the machine) suitably spaced are the words Stencil, Top Bottom. It will be seen that when the arm 32 is in central position as the full lines the, parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 1 for printing 2 from the upper zone of the ribbon in which printing position is indicated by the relation of the pointer to the word Top When the adjusting crank arm is thrown to the lowermost position as indicated by the dotted lines the pointer 32 is at the word Bottom in which position the ribbon'mechanism will be adjusted so that the surface 8 of the lever 6 is in operative position and. printing may b f ed from the bottom zone or band of the ribbon; and, 87h?!) he arm 32 is thr wn rear rdly t the posit on indicated by the dotted lines in Fig, 4, the par s will e djusted for sten i We ds.-

The construction described has the merit of being very inexpensive, substantial, posi: tive and accurate in all its. adjustments and actions; the means of adjustment are in. plain sight and convenient reach of the op: erator who can always see'the position in which the ribbon operating devices are set,

I claim: i

1. Ribbon mechanism for. a typewri ing 1 machine, comprising a ribbon Vibrator, a justable means for throwing the vibrator through ditferent distances to effect print ing from an upper or a lower zone of a rih= bon, adjustable stop devices for limiting the throw of the vibrator when printing from either zone, means for simultaneously adjusting the vibrator actuatin -means and the stop devices and means or accurately positioning and holding the stop devices and vibrator actuating means, said holding means comprising a recessed wheel, a pivoted arm having a projection engaging the recesses in the wheel and a coiled reaction sprin applied to said arm.

2. ibbon mechanism for a typewriting machine, comprising a ribbon vibrator, adjustable means for throwing the vibrator through difierent distances to effect printing from an upper or a lower zone of a ribbon, adjustable stop devices for limiting the throw of the vibrator when rinting rom either zone, means for simu taneously adjusting the vibrator actuatin means and the stop devices and means or accurately positioning and holding the stop devices and vibrator actuating means, said holding means comprising a recessed wheel, a pivoted arm having a projecting roller engaging the recesses in the wheel and a Coiled reaction spring applied to said arm.

3. Ribbon mechanism for a typewriting machine, comprising a ribbon vibrator, adjustable means for throwing the vibrator through different distances to efl'ect print-- 7 means comprising a wheel having limiting stops 15, 16 and intermediate teeth forming recesses, a pivoted arm having a lateral projection engaging said recesses and a coiled reaction spring a plied to the arm.

4. Ribbon mec ianism for a typewriting machine, comprising a ribbon vibrator, adjustable means for throwing the vibrator through different distances to effect printing from an upper or a lower zone of a ribbon, adjustable stop devices for limiting the throw of the vibrator when printing from either zone, means for simultaneously adjusting the vibrator actuating means and the stop devices and means for accurately positioning and holding the stop devices and vibrator actuating means, said holding means comprising a movable part having positioning faces, an arm cooperating therewith and a coiled reaction spring applied to the arm.

5. Ribbon mechanism for a typewriting machine, comprising a ribbon vibrator, adjustable means for throwing the vibrator through different distances to eiiect print ing from an upper or a lower zone of a ribbon, adjustable stop devices for limiting the throw of the vibrator when printing front either zone, means for simultaneously adjusting the vibrator actuating means and the stop devices and means for accurately positioning and holding the stop devices and vibrator actuating means, said holding means comprising a rotatable part having positioning faces an arm cooperating therewith pivoted upon the frame and a coiled reaction spring applied to the arm.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

LEVIS C. MYERS. Witnesses:

E. B. Hnss, G. F. HANDLEY.

Copies of thin patent may be obtained for live cents each, by nddrening the Commissioner 0! Potente, Washington, D. G. 

